Empathetic - The Room Collapses Quietly

Labels: Zegema Beach Records

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 07 Aug 2026

Tracklist:

1. Intro

2. Culminate

3. Volatile

4. Yield

5. Interlude

6. Fracture Point

I feel like I'm in one of those periods where the day job is going really well. Things have been productive, opportunities are opening up, though that could mean less time and more stress. Anyway, corporate pep talk over, it's time for some Canadian emoviolence.

Vancouver's Empathetic released their new EP The Room Collapses Quietly via Zegema Beach Records in August, on a limited run of CDs, and also digitally. Empathetic are a pretty new group that features members from Thank You Driver and I think this is their debut release, apart from appearing on ZBR's latest Zampler cd comp. Heck, they've already shared stages with State Faults, Frail Body and Coup D'etat!

It’s a great feeling knowing that I’ve already written more than I did last month. It follows the work trend I was talking about in the intro bit. It’s also great being able to listen to Empathetic. Their ‘Intro’ to The Room Collapses Quietly is just glorious and unassuming. Classy instrumentation that leads into ‘Culminate’, which is a great mix of emoviolence, screamo and mathy sections. The vocals are the most violent instrument here, while the rest of the band deliver controlled, and not so controlled chaos.

I guess ‘Volatile’ would be an apt way to describe this release, as it progresses between the beautiful and the beastly. As a song, it threatens to spill over into crazed breakdowns at times but Empathetic show enough musical empathy (sorry!), to not let that happen. They do furious-grind well later on though! ‘Yield’ once again majors on their mathy-side, adding complex time-signatures and majestic melodies that compliment each other really well.

Those vocals cut deep too and you’d be forgiven for thinking that ‘Interlude’ would be exactly that, and you’d be correct to some extent. It’s gentler on the aggression and more forward on the melody, but the harsh vocals are never too far away. It works really well like this, especially as it’s the EP’s penultimate song. Closing with ‘Fracture Point’, Empathetic really throw caution to the wind and give the craziest account of themselves. Listen to it to understand what I mean.

It’s short, heavy, emotive and wondrous all at the same time. What an impact Empathetic have made here. We’re racing towards the end of 2026 faster than we realise (I’m already receiving 2027 release promos!) and no doubt people will be forming their EOY lists already. This has to be a contender of EPOTY.

You can stream and purchase this EP digitally from Zegema Beach Records below:-

Limited CD copies are also available from ZBR here:-

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

USA - https://persistentvisionrecords.com/products/empathetic-the-room-collapses-quietly-cd

Empathetic Instagram - @empathetic.bc

Zegema Beach Records - @zegema_beach

Culloden - Tales of the Tyne

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 10 July 2026

Tracklist:

1. Seven Months (Intro)

2. The Siege

3. Harrying Of The North

4. Hammer Of The Poor

5. Bonny At Morn (Interlude)

6. Lords Of A Lawless Land

7. The Anarchy

8. Witchpricker

Before I started this blog there was a time where I really enjoyed battle metal. At the time I also loved metalcore and heavier music in general, which very much shaped my taste and led me to start writing. Where am I going with this? Well... in the last couple of years, I've been slowly listening to more traditional heavy metal thanks to bands like Khemmis and Haunt, to name a few. 

In May, I premiered the single 'Lords Of A Lawless Land' by Newcastle-Upon-Tyne's heavy metal trio Culloden. They released their debut album Tales Of The Tyne back in July and were kind enough to send me it to review. Built around the history of Tyneside during medieval times, it's bound to be steeped in North East grit.

Having just spent Saturday afternoon stomping around the historic streets of York, it feels only right to be listening to an album championing the history of another Northern city. The intro ‘Seven Months’ gives very little away, aside from chiming bells, eerie ambience and the sound of battles on sacred land. ‘The Siege’ is the first song proper here and it’s a mix of heavy metal and speed metal (though, both of those could be considered the same thing depending on where you sit!).

The drumming from Michael Lee is so spot on, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was delivered by a drum machine. David Thompson’s guitar work adds melody, momentum and pinch harmonics that are reminiscent of Coheed And Cambria (to my ears at least!), while the bass and vocals of Andrew Halliday provide both striding low-end, and striking aggression respectively. 

‘Harrying Of The North’ is stylistically a continuation of the previous song, which is weird to say as it’s kind of all over the place musically. It has an industrial feel to it (unsurprisingly, given Culloden’s roots), but also a musicality that makes me think of Italian metal, though I have no idea why!. 

This album is way heavier than I was expecting to be honest. ‘Hammer Of The Poor’ is a mix of mid-paced thrash and groove metal, with the instrumentation buried slightly in mix when the vocals are added, but coming right to the fore when the solos kick in later on. Reminds me of Onslaught at times. 

Weirdly (or maybe by design), ‘Hammer Of The Poor’ continues on into the interlude ‘Bonny At Morn’, at least on bandcamp anyway. It’s a gentle interlude that harks back to medieval times once again and sets the scene for ‘Lords Of A Lawless Land’. If you checked out my premiere of this song, you’ll already know what to expect. A quick-fire, anthemic metal song delivered with precision.

Penultimate song ‘The Anarchy’ follows in a very different mode, with slower intro riffs leading to what could be described as a steady galloping tempo during the main verses. It’s not blackened in the slightest but it does bring to mind Kanonenfieber. I have to say, I really do appreciate the way that Culloden are able to change their sound subtly.

Leaving their longest song till last (albeit slightly trimmed down compared to the version that appeared on their debut EP), ‘Witchpricker’ is a fuller sounding beast. Complete with additional riffs from Karl Moore (who played guitar for Culloden in 2014 and then again from 2017-2019), it’s a breakneck way to end the album, even if the mid-section loses momentum slightly. The final third picks things back up again though with some excellent lead guitar work and driving percussion.

I’m going to have to start listening to much more heavy metal now! Culloden take me back to when I was first discovering bands through sampler CDs from the likes of Rock Sound, Metal Hammer and Terrorizer magazines. I still have them all in fact. Tales of the Tyne is an excellent album and it just shows how enduring UK metal is. Great work!

You can stream and purchase the album digitally via bandcamp below, where it's also available on CD:-

Culloden Instagram - @cullodenband

Outlander - The Bookhouse Sessions

Labels: Self-Released/Pelagic Records

Formats: Digital

Release Date: 12 Jun 2026

Tracklist:

1. Lye Waste / Habituation (Live)

2. Want No More (Live)

3. Sinking (Live)

4. Orbit (Live)

Today has been one of those days where I've just wanted to sink into something more instrumental, and more spacious maybe? It started very differently though, as my walk to work began with the new Holding Absence album, which will take some adjusting to after what I've heard of it so far. Switching onto Slow Crush soon after was a good choice and set me up for the day. This is where Birmingham, UK's Outlander came to mind. 

I first came across them thanks to the Pelagic Records pressing of their 2019 LP The Valium Machine (in early 2025). Their combination of post-rock, shoegaze and glorious instrumentals captivated me, so to see that they had released a special live session earlier this year was a treat. Containing one song from their 2019 release and three (but actually four) from 2024's Acts of Harm, it stands as a showcase of their sound.

This feels so perfect this evening, as the night draws in around me. Beginning with ‘Lye Waste / Habituation’ (which is two songs into one essentially), Outlander build instrumentally from pensive to cinematic, while vocals sit amongst the swirling tones without breaching them. Even when the dual-vocal melodies float in and out, they don’t threaten to overtake the music itself. Percussion, bass and guitars working as one whole, beautifully in a live setting. I only wish I was there to experience it.

There’s a slightly different feel to ‘Want No More’, which sways from indie, to post-rock/post-punk and toward heavier pastures too. It’s a strikingly catchy song, which is an odd thing for me to say maybe, but it’s mainly down to the melody created by the lead guitar(s). Either way, it’s another great piece of music delivered with true sensitivity.

Listening to this release is really encouraging me to get my music room sorted out. I need a bigger place first though! ‘Sinking’ is the only song here from The Valium Machine so it represents an earlier point in Outlander’s career. A point where they were developing their cinematic sound and honestly, it’s as grand as you’d expect, especially here. There’s so much warmth on this recording, where years ago it would have sounded muddied.

The aptly titled ‘Orbit’ closes out this live session in dream-like fashion, as Outlander let their instrumentation take full control, creating an atmosphere that’s truly spellbinding. It does sound like there are some harsh vocals backing things up, but that could be a trick of the senses. Whether my description of the song is right or wrong, it really doesn’t matter. What matters is that this release exists.

I really hope this gets a physical release of it’s own at some point, as not only does it showcase an extremely talented band from the UK, but it also gathers together a great set of songs. Outlander make special music that deserves a wider audience.

Right now, you can stream and purchase the release digitally via Outlander's bandcamp page below:-

Outlander Instagram - @outlandertheband 

Pelagic Records Instagram - @pelagic_records

The Names Of Our Friends/Poetry Of Torch - Split

Labels: Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 24 Jul 2026

Tracklist:

1. The Names Of Our Friends - All For You

2. The Names Of Ours Friends - Just For Us

3. Poetry Of Torch - 泥濘

4. Poetry Of Torch - 呼んでいる

What a difference a couple of days make! Honestly, I was floundering a bit towards the end of last month but after a couple of reviews already this month, I feel the excitement again. July was the month that Zegema Beach Records released this split between US band The Names Of Our Friends and Japan's Poetry Of Torch, on tape and also digitally.

Both bands play post-hardcore/screamo. If you were following the blog back in 2025, you might have read my review of Poetry Of Torch's split with Gil Cerrone. The Names Of Our Friends are once again another new band to me (I must get round to finishing that list of every band featured here!).

Today has been a day to forget work-wise. I’m drained and all I yearn for is some kind of escape. Nothing screams “escape” like screamo and The Names Of Our Friends, who provide such a blistering performance on their first track ‘All For You’. Piercing vocals that almost leap into emoviolence territory, alongside blistering percussion, off-kilter tempos and dramatic guitar work. Obviously, it’s over pretty quickly but it leads into their second track ‘Just For Us’ instantly, which is more introspective, while showing different sides to the band. Melodic vocals, chugging riffs and nods to The Mars Volta are all present. It’s a real treat and a great way to round out their side of this split.

Poetry Of Torch start their side with ‘泥濘’, which is short and sharp. Starting with a mix of warped noise and samples before exploding into the kind of crazed emoviolence that Japanese bands do so well. It’s short, so getting a true feel is hard but it’s not long before their second song ‘呼んでいる’ begins. It’s longer, so might be a better representation of their sound overall, which is fast, quite raw but also post-hardcore leaning. The vocals are shouted, the percussion sits deeper in the mix and the guitars provide a cacophony of different styles. Another example of Japan’s unique and brilliant approach to heavier music.

Even just listening to these four songs has reset my brain and I’m grateful for it. I wish this release had gone on longer though as both The Names Of Our Friends and Poetry Of Torch are fantastic song-writers/performers.

You can stream and purchase this split digitally from ZBR below:-

You can buy physical tape copies from ZBR here - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases/tnoofxpot

The Names Of Our Friends Instagram - @the.names.of.our.friends

Poetry Of Torch Instagram - @poetry_of_torch

Zegema Beach Records Instagram - @zegema_beach

Pleb - Grease Trap

Labels: Human Worth

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 07 Aug 2026

Tracklist:

1. Clods Of Shit And Bone

2. The Bruises Mean It's On The Way Out

3. The Eyes Melt First

4. Put It Back

5. Evolutionary Roadblock

6. The Streets Aren't Reliable In The Slightest

7. You And Me Baby Ain't Nothing But Cannibals

8. Belly Up

I've been well out of sync with the DIY community/scene in Leeds for years now. When I worked in the city it was great to be able to stick around, see bands and then get the last train home. I watched more than I can remember. Recently, thanks to Owen at Human Worth, a band called Pleb was sent my way. Turns out Pleb includes a member who I saw play many times back in the day.

Grease Trap arrived as the duo's first release earlier this month. Featuring the guitar and feedback of D. Fraser, as well as the drums and vocals of S. Myles, Pleb delivers sludge but with a punk mindset. Exactly what Leeds has always been about.

It feels kind of weird to be writing about a release within the same month that it was… released. Well nearly, as it was the same month before I decided to re-write this. It’s a good one though and after reading the bio about the album on Pleb’s bandcamp page, we’re in for a treat. Noisy, feedback-laden sludge fills the air on opener ‘Clods Of Shit And Bone’. Guitar, percussion and vocals that remind me of the diverse richness of the city’s musical underbelly. Subtle hints of the slower end of powerviolence join punk and sludge.

‘The Bruises Mean It’s On The Way Out’ is just filled with layer after layer of chunky riffs and screechy feedback. It’s bloody good, and way noisier than anything a duo should be making! Coming in pretty much equipped (with nastiness), ’The Eyes Melt First’ sees Pleb hitting a dangerous stride. One that completely justifies their recent appearance at ArcTanGent, which unsurprisingly went down a storm from what I’ve read.

‘’Put It Back’ continues with the feedback left by ‘The Eyes Melt First’. As I write this, there is thunder and lighting crashing outside my window but even that isn’t heavier than Pleb at their heaviest.  It’s not only about the slow stuff on Grease Trap as ‘Evolutionary Roadblock’ brings a pacier tempo, which adorns its shortest track. 

Maybe describing the streets of Leeds (or something/somewhere entirely different), ‘The Streets Aren’t Reliable In The Slightest’ is a murky, off-kilter slice of sludgecore that epitomises the grim realness that we face up north. I was going to draw comparison to this next song’s title and Bloodhound Gang, but that was till I watched the video and read the lyrics to ‘You And Me Baby Ain’t Nothing But Cannibals’. It was the lyrics that really did it. Both stark and beautiful up against the instrumentation.

Closing with ‘Belly Up’, Pleb give it everything. From deep, stomping sludge riffs to grinding drums and those vocals, which by now are buried deep in the memory receptors. Pleb sound energised and fresh, while maintaining the grittiness and warmth that’s always been there in Leeds musically. What an ace album Grease Trap is!

You can stream and purchase Grease Trap digitally below, where you can also pre-order tape copies (it's already on it's 2nd pressing!):-

Here's the video for 'You And Me Baby Ain't Nothing But Cannibals' for your viewing pleasure too, courtesy of Human Worth:-

Pleb Instagram - @pleb_slow

Human Worth Instagram - @humanworthmusic