Кальк (Kalk) - Кальк (Kalk)

Labels: Hardcore For The Losers/JanML Records/Maya Von Lobeck/MarderschadenDIY/Polar Summer/Tadzio Records

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 09 Mar 2017

Tracklist:

1. Напалм

2. Черный Пес, Темный Лес

3. Привет, Героиня

4. Панк-рок Еще Дышит

5. Пыльная Звезда

6. Шлюха Из Бутово

7. Завтра Было Вчера

8. Метаморфоза

9. Зефир

10. В Радуге Столько Красивых Цветов, А Ты Выбираешь Говно

11. Отпуск В Панаме

It's taken what seems like an age but I'm revisiting my Polar Summer review series again. The Russian label has released (and continues to release) music by many obscure but exciting bands from across Europe and further afield. I'm trying to these reviews in order of release and this evening I've focusing on the label's 11th, which was the self-titled album from Germany's self-proclaimed feminist synthie screamo punks Кальк (Kalk). Their name nor their song-titles are in German and I wouldn't like to guess where they're from. This album came out in March 2017.

I own a copy of Кальк’s 2020 follow-up to this record, which is how I first heard them. Going back to their first album is a treat and opener ‘Напалм’ definitely sits in the punkier/noisier screamo camp, where simple and very effective percussion is joined by low bass/guitar riffs, really pissed off vocals and synths that completely change the tone of their sound, in a really unexpected way. They’re use is upbeat and they really fit with the music.

Кальк’’s songs aren’t long here and ‘Черный Пес, Темный Лес’ flies by in a wall of melody and rabid emoviolence, which in turn is drenched in feedback. I was in need of a midweek pick-me-up and man have I found it. ‘Привет, Героиня’ goes properly hard right from the off. The way everything is layered, especially with the addition of the synths keeps it from sounding disjointed or cheesy. I sometimes wince when I read about or listen to bands that use synths in their music but I can get behind their use here.

My fixation with the “s” word stops now, as ‘Панк-рок Еще Дышит’ starts with some warningly familiar melodic guitar before Кальк up the ante. They may not be spitting razors or blasting their way through this album but sometimes it’s better when a band does their own thing. This is unique. There’s a slight mid-tempo feel to ‘Пыльная Звезда’ yet that’s probably due to the punk vibe that flows through it. 

Before what seems like a blink of the eye, it’s onto the album’s second half and the sub one-minute song ‘Шлюха Из Бутово’, which is amongst it’s fastest and heaviest. It leads into ‘Завтра Было Вчера’ pretty much instantly and the mood shifts again, as even with the slightly jovial synths, the undertones are more unnerving. 

That said, the digital-esque opening salvo on ‘Метаморфоза’ continues throughout it’s entirety, allowing some light to permeate through the intensity that governs much of this release. ‘Зефир’ pokes hilarious fun at traditional matrimony and even includes some semi-clean vocals! I’m all for digs at society’s conservative/religious populous, so this song made me smile.

Penultimate number ‘В Радуге Столько Красивых Цветов, А Ты Выбираешь Говно’ drags everything back in a more furious direction. The occasionally chunkier riffs work great alongside the stomping tempos/drumming towards the end. Ending with ‘Отпуск В Панаме’, Кальк go from gentle guitar to pure post-hardcore brilliance in a split second and round out their self-titled record in epic form. 

People are often too scared to approach a band or a record that’s new to them. While Кальк are not new to me, their debut LP was. I’m here to tell you that you shouldn’t be afraid and that you should embrace that which you have not heard before. This album was released over eight years ago now but it still leaves an indelible mark. All I ask is that you give it a go.

You can stream and purchase the album both digitally, and (still!) on vinyl via Кальк's bandcamp page below:-

Кальк - https://www.facebook.com/kalknoise

Copies can also be purchased from the labels below:-

Hardcore For The Losers - https://hardcoreforthelosers.bandcamp.com/merch

MarderschadenDIY - https://marderschadendiy.tumblr.com/

Hardcore For The Losers - https://www.facebook.com/HardcoreForTheLosers

JanML Records - https://www.facebook.com/JanmlRecords

MarderschadenDIY - https://www.facebook.com/marderschadenDIY

Polar Summer - https://polarxsummer.bandcamp.com

Tadzio Records - https://www.facebook.com/tadziorecords/

Yarostan - II

Labels: Araki Records/Bus Stop Press/Crapoulet Records/Hardcore Fore The Losers/Saka Cost/Seaside Suicide Records/Seitan's Hell Bike Punks/Self-Released/Yoyodyne Records/Dingleberry Records

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 04 Apr 2022

Tracklist:

1. Minéral 

2. Les Maines Vides

3. Jouer Dans Les Ruines

4. Aux Miroirs Brisés

5. L'attente A Fait Un Désert Des Jardins De Notre Jeunesse

They say tiredness can kill and they're right. Thankfully though, the only thing it's killing right now is my energy. I'll get it back though and music always helps. French post-hardcore quintet Yarostan's second album II was released last April by the band on CD and digitally, as well as on vinyl by all of the lovely labels mentioned above. I first learned about Yarostan on the CINQ 5-way split LP from ZBR. It backed up what I already new about the French heavy music community, who have been ever so supportive since the inception of this blog.

If you want dramatic post-hardcore then venture no further than Yarostan and II. Opener ‘Minéral’ has all kinds of musical elements flowing through it, from heavy hardcore instrumentation and harsh screams to emotive clean singing from multiple vocalists. Something a little different then, especially given the softer edges of their sound. Post-hardcore seems to shapeshift into post-metal on ‘Les Mains Vides’ and in doing so, it paints a picture of a band that is comfortable wherever they sit musically. Oddly there’s some viking/folk metal-esque riffing and melody that follows the dark, angry opening bars (you’ll get what I mean here if you listen closely). The mid-section is filled with extremely well-written instrumental music before Yarostan reels you back in with a final blast of post-metal. Like the album’s opener, it’s a proper journey.

‘Jouer Dans Les Ruines’ ebbs and flows between melody, harshness and introspection. The expansive nature of Yarostan’s music is clearer with every passing second here. I don’t know if this is something they aspire too but I can totally see them on the roster of a label like Pelagic Records sometime in the future. They’d be a great addition if so. The last two songs on II pass the ten-minute mark and ‘Aux Miroirs Brisés’ is an ambient number at first before growing in layers and intensity, becoming something more familiar but with a sinister twist. The sound of what could be an organ or ghostly synths can be heard within the mix, adding haunting warmth. The musical movements that Yarostan go through during all of their songs are something to behold but here, they really seem to flourish.

‘L’attente A Fait Un Désert Des Jardins De Notre Jeunesse’ closes out the album with a bang. That bang was pretty instant and it led to something much bigger. Progression is a term that’s thrown around a lot (by me included) but it feels like Yarostan have really embraced it here, where sludge-like riffs rub shoulders with their now familiar clean vocals, while off-kilter dissonance jolts you one last time. I honestly don’t know how to end this review. Yarostan’s unique approach to post-hardcore is filled with genuine affection and a clear sense of musical enjoyment. Merci Yarostan, tu es parfait. 

You can purchase II on all formats (including on tape, which I failed to mention above) via Yarostan's bandcamp page below:-

Copies can also be purchased from the labels below:-

Araki Records - https://arakirecords.bandcamp.com/

Crapoulet Records - https://crapouletrecords.limitedrun.com/

Hardcore Fore The Losers - https://hardcoreforthelosers.bandcamp.com/

Saka Cost - https://sakacost.bandcamp.com/

Seitan's Hell Bike Punks - https://seitanshellbikepunks.bandcamp.com/

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

Araki Records - https://www.facebook.com/profile

Bus Stop Press - http://busstoppress.weebly.com

Crapoulet Records - https://www.facebook.com/Crapouletrecords

Hardcore Fore The Losers - https://www.facebook.com/HardcoreForTheLosers/

Saka Cost - https://www.facebook.com/saka.cost

Seaside Suicide Records - https://www.facebook.com/profile

Seitan's Hell Bike Punks - https://www.facebook.com/seitanshellbikepunks

Yoyodyne Records - https://yoyodynerecords.com

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

Coma Regalia - The Mirror

Labels: Adorno Records/Dingleberry Records/Hardcore For The Losers/Middle-Man Records/Pundonor Records/Time As A Color/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 10 Mar 2018

Tracklist:

1. Return To The Hall Of Souls

2. Slohaugh En Sperata

3. Peel Back The Layers

4. Fragmental

5. The Face Underwater

6. Foreign Reflection

7. Shatter

8. Un Recognition

9. The Lie In The Dark

10. Horrid Reflection

I'm not sure what's been going on lately but the blog's been getting some proper love, for which I'm very grateful. It does feel like a lifetime though since I revisited the ZBR roster. As you'll know from previous posts in this little review series and from before; Coma Regalia has been a mainstay here in recent years. The Mirror was released back in early 2018 on tape and digital formats, as well as on the rarely seen 11" vinyl format (does anybody know of any other records released on 11" vinyl?). At the time of writing this intro, copies of said vinyl record still exist for sale. Will they still be on sale after this review? Who knows...

Havoc-inducing emoviolence with a sensitive side. Probably the most apt way I could describe Coma’s sound without repeating what I’ve said before. The Mirror’s opener ‘Return To The Hall Of Souls’ contains truly biting post-hardcore that lets very little light in, which is at odds with my opening sentence. It bleeds straight into ‘Slohaugh En Sperata’, which kicks off in quick-fire fashion before seemingly slowing down as if time was standing still, only to conclude with wailing feedback.

They say silence is golden but you don’t actually get very much of it here as ‘Peel Back The Layers’ takes all of Coma’s punk sensibilities and applies them to a sub one-minute blast. It’s a rager that drags you into the broodier and more uncomfortable ‘Fragmental’, where once again feedback rules over various parts of the music, except this time in greater amounts.

‘The Face Underwater’ is rhythmic and almost hypnotic initially, before that recognisably melodic guitar tone whisks you off to a better place. Talking of being whisked off to a better place, ‘Foreign Reflection’ keeps up that notion with some beautiful guitar work once again. Having watched some of the performances from this weekend’s Glastonbury Festival, I’d quite happily say that Coma Regalia would wipe the floor with them live if they ever got the chance to perform there (remember the time Napalm Death and Wormrot played inside a graffiti-laden tube train?). 

As the temperature here gets hotter and the atmosphere gets stickier, being greeted by The Mirror’s heaviest song ’Shatter’ is both unfathomable and cleansing. That same atmosphere flows into ‘Un Recognition’, which does contain more treble to brighten things up slightly. This is a body of work that genuinely represents the minds, bodies and souls of it’s creators. You can’t get more life affirming than that. 

Penultimate song ‘The Lie In The Dark’ is upbeat and really skilfully played. Artsy in places without being pretentious, it uses the collective musicianship of Coma Regalia to weave something that’s danceable and forgiving before the album’s final song ‘Horrid Reflection’ takes hold. I’ve always enjoyed releases like this where bands end on longer songs, and this is no different. It’s first half is instrumental and even when the full band kicks in, it still retains that musical heft. At times it sounds like a folk/sea shanty too.

Another tremendous release from a band filled with great souls. Society may be more polarised than ever but music like this will always bring us together.

You can stream and purchase The Mirror directly from Edie's label Middle-Man Records below, where vinyl copies are still available (including one solitary test-press!):-

Coma Regalia - https://www.facebook.com/comaregalia

You can also buy copies from the below labels:-

Adorno Records - https://adornorecords.bandcamp.com/merch

Hardcore For The Losers - https://hardcoreforthelosers.bandcamp.com/merch

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

Time As A Color - https://timeasacolor.com/product-category/music/time-as-a-color-releases

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

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

Hardcore For The Losers - https://www.facebook.com/HardcoreForTheLosers

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

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

Time As A Color - https://www.facebook.com/timeasacolor

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

['selvə] - Doma

Labels: A Fond d'Cale/Cave Canem D.I.Y/General Soreness/Hardcore For The Losers/Hesitation/Nothing Left/Overdrive Records/Piu Amici Meno Storie Records/Shove Records/Tatano Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 14 Feb 2018

Tracklist:

1. Silen

2. Joy

Time's properly flying right now. I have this week off from the day job but it mostly consists of DIY (urgh!), which I'm ambitious but rubbish at. Thankfully the evenings allow time for me to write, while also running in my new hi-fi. I'm back on the Zegema Beach Records roster trail tonight, focusing on the 2018 release Doma by Italian post-black metal/emo band ['selvə]. This two song record was released on vinyl, cd and tape (as well as digitally) via a whole host of labels, including ZBR who pressed a run of tapes for Canada/North America, as well as further afield of course. 

['selvə] (or Selva) performs post-black/hardcore in such a sensitive and exciting way. Doma opener ‘Silen’ starts with a slow, atmospheric build-up that leads into blasting blackened screamo after about four minutes. Beyond that point, it doesn’t let up in it’s intensity. Even when things seem to settle down for a period of time, there’s still an underlying sense of unease, despite Selva’s beautiful musicianship and genuine vocal delivery.

Second song ‘Joy’ is immediately frenetic and bathed in a rawness that’s very endearing. Granted, it’s also very heavy, almost mesmerically so at times with the repeated riffs that sit atop the recording. It’s amazing how a band can produce a release that’s so involving in the space of just two songs. Selva was part of a three-way split CD last October, so hopefully there’s more to come from them this year or in the future.

Italy as a country provides surprise after musical surprise. From the often theatrical, to instrumental progressiveness and also it’s emotive metal/screamo community, it has it all if you’re willing to put the time in. Selva is a fantastic band. Nothing more needs to be said.

You can stream and buy Doma on vinyl, CD and digital formats directly from Selva below:-

Selva - https://www.facebook.com/selvapbs

Physical copies of Doma are still available from a couple of the OG releasing labels below:-

General Soreness - https://www.discogs.com/seller/General_Soreness/

Hardcore For The Losers - https://hardcoreforthelosers.bandcamp.com/album/selv-doma-lp

Cave Canem D.I.Y - https://www.facebook.com/CaveCanemDIY

General Soreness - https://www.facebook.com/generalsorenessrecords

Hardcore For The Losers - https://www.facebook.com/HardcoreForTheLosers

Hesitation - https://www.facebook.com/hesitationdiy

Nothing Left Records - https://www.facebook.com/NothingLeftRecords

Overdrive Records - https://www.facebook.com/overdrivesrl/

Shove Records - https://www.facebook.com/SHOVE-records

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