Piri Reis - Ritma

Labels: Framecode Records/Long Legs Long Arms/Memori Records/Moment Of Collapse Records/Polar Summer/React With Protest/Shove Records/Slow Down Records/Smoothie Records/Utarid Tapes/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 03 Jul 2022

Tracklist:

1. Merentap Sayap Malaikat

2. Burden By Beauty

3. Pusara Atas Langit

4. Heimlich Manoeuvre Tiger Suplex

5. Cigarette For An Actor

6. All Is Well, Mr. Hildebrandt

7. Arsitektur Yang Gagal

8. Curse On Pasumpahan Island

9. Berkelana ke Kelana Jaya

10. Untuk Kimi

I recently did something that's bordering on slightly irresponsible (but not criminally irresponsible, so it's okay!). To be more precise and honest, I've purchased an expensive record. That confession has nothing to do with this review though, so I'll move swiftly on. 

Talking of records though, I do own a copy of Ritma by Malaysian screamo/emoviolence band Piri Reis.  Originally released in 2022 across all formats worldwide, it received further cd and tape pressings from almost all corners of the world in 2023 and 2024. Piri Reis have been consistently pushing boundaries and pushing their music to more screamo fans globally, and while this album is a few years old now, it's still fresh.

September was another month of limited activity purely due to life, work and the universe getting in the way. I had planned for this review to round things out yesterday but what can you do! ‘Merentap Sayap Malaikat’ opens Ritma in surprising fashion, as it’s intro sounds more akin to what you’d hear in a doctor’s waiting room. That boring image is banished soon after though by layers of rabid percussion and bass, melodic/atmospheric guitars and screeching vocals. 

‘Burden By Beauty’ is more laid back and introspective for the most part, as Piri Reis temper their emoviolence with sombre post-hardcore and even some metallic/metalcore-esque touches. Frenzied outbursts of chaos are not far behind though, as the closing bars show. ‘Pusara Atas Langit’ follows with an intro of plane noise and guitars buzzing into life before things hit that high gear again. It’s not all emoviolence and madness though, as Piri Reis again use gentler vocals and instrumentation throughout. Kind of reminds a bit of Rolo Tomassi.

The excellently titled ‘Heimlich Manoeuvre Tiger Suplex’ goers for a straight-up rock/post-hardcore sound instrumentally, which doesn’t build along with the intense vocals until much later on in the song. It’s very real and oddly gut-wrenching all the same. After a few songs that have seemed more expansive, Piri Reis begin to dip back into more explosive surroundings on ‘Cigarette For An Actor’. The way they craft their music, allowing everything to work together and to exist in it’s own space is excellent.

The sampled intro on ‘All Is Well, Mr. Hildebrandt’ is hilarious (though I feel slightly guilty for saying so). It leads to another song of many faces; from post-punk riffs to blasting drums, groovy bass and raging screams. It has everything and has that song-of-the-album feel too. ‘Arsitektur Yang Gagal’ is very much a blink and you’ll miss it piece, as it flies majestically through ninety seconds of stark screamo.

This album’s great and thankfully there are still a few songs to go. ‘Curse on Pasumpahan Island’ gently ushers you in with spoken-word vocals and lightly plucked guitars before it descends into chaos once again. The lyrics are what really leap out at you here. You’ll understand what I mean when you listen to it. Penultimate song ‘Berkelana ke Kelana Jaya’ makes you want to dance (or maybe it’s just me!). The rhythms just have that aura but the rest of the band has other ideas once again, pivoting back in a more familiar direction.

Closing Ritma with ‘Untuk Kimi’, Piri Reis call time on their only full-length to date in gloriously distorted fashion. Just guitars, subtle feedback/white noise and minimalist vocals/samples cleanse the ears, leaving you feeling very uplifted. It’s emotional in the best way. It reminds me that I need to spend more time with the records I own, as the more I inevitably buy (it’s becoming a proper habit), the harder it is to choose one to put on.

Stream and grab the album digitally from Piri Reis below, where tape and cd copies are also still available in limited quantities:-

Piri Reis - https://www.facebook.com/pirireispunx

 

You can also purchase Ritma on various formats below:-

Longlegslongarms - http://longlegslongarms.jp/music/products/

Memori Records - https://memorirecords.bandcamp.com/album/mr-002-piri-reis-ritma

Moment Of Collapse Records - https://shop.momentofcollapse.com/collections/piri-reis

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

React With Protest - http://www.reactwithprotest.org/store.php

Shove Records - https://shoverec.bandcamp.com/album/ritma

Slow Down Records - https://slowdownrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sdr-31-piri-reis-ritma

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

Framecode Records - https://www.facebook.com/framecoderecords

Longlegslongarms - https://www.facebook.com/3LAdisc

Moment Of Collapse Records - https://www.facebook.com/momentofcollapse

Shove Records - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100062967532917

Slow Down Records - https://www.instagram.com/slow.down.records/?igshid=ZDdkNTZiNTM%3D

Smoothie Records - https://www.instagram.com/smoothie_recs/?hl=en

Utarid Tapes - https://www.facebook.com/utaridtapes

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

Orbit Cinta Benjamin + Flirt - Split Premiere (full stream)

Tomorrow marks the release of the brand new split between Malaysia's Orbit Cinta Benjamin and Germany's Flirt. Tomb Tree will have 50 tapes across 3 different variants, while an LP pressing is being handled by Major Label, SM Musik, Bad Health Records, ZilpZalp Records and Salto Mortale Music.

Thanks to Tomb Tree, you can stream the entire split below:-

Orbit Cinta Benjamin includes former members of Utarid and Ellisebelle Tears. The quintet have been active for quite sometime too, as they released their first demo in 2006, which was followed by a self-titled EP, a split CD with fellow Malaysian post-punk/emo band Killer Calculateaur and a 6-way split LP in 2008 with Arse Moreira, Eucalypt, Amalthea, Dodewaard and Hiro (information was taken from Discogs, so I can't confirm it's correctness).

Flirt released their first demo in 2019 and include members from Tiger Magic. As far as I can tell, this split will be their second release to date (please correct me if I'm wrong).

Both bands contribute four songs to this split and the tracklisting is below:-

Orbit Cinta Benjamin

1. Essence

2. Four Corners

3. Harbinger

4. Chalice

Flirt

1. Amazon Crime

2. Morsch

3. Trist

4. Einfach So

Orbit Cinta Benjamin - https://orbitcintabenjamin.bandcamp.com

Flirt - https://xflirtx.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2019-2022

Keep an eye on Tomb Tree's online store for the tape drop tomorrow - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/tomb-tree-tapes

Also, if you want vinyl copies, head to the labels involved in that pressing below:-

Major Label - https://majorlabel.shop

SM Musik - https://www.sm-musik.de/shop/

Bad Health Records - https://badhealthrecords.bandcamp.com/merch

ZilpZalp Records - https://www.discogs.com/label/zilpzalp-records

Salto Mortale Music - https://www.discogs.com/Salto-Mortale-Music

Bad Health Records - https://www.facebook.com/badhealthrecords/

Salto Mortale Music - https://www.facebook.com/diysaltomortalemusic/

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

PremieRing #2: Letterbombs - Mansuit (from the up-coming Demersal/Piet Onthel/Letterbombs/Vientre Split Tape)

About four years ago I was asked to participate in a four blog premiere, where each blog shared a song from a four-way split LP that featured Massa Nera, Thisismenotthinkingofyou, Yo Sbraito and Ef'il (released via ZBR amongst other labels). It was called the PremieRing. Now I'm super happy to be involved in PremieRing #2, alongside Miss The Stars, Idioteq and Open Mind Saturated Brain.

Once again, we're promoting a four-way split (this time on tape) that's being released by ZBR's sister label Tomb Tree, alongside UK label Witch Elm Records. As with previous splits, it contains bands from different corners of the globe in the form of Demersal (Denmark), Piet Onthel (Malaysia), Letterbombs (Finland) and Vientre (Colombia). It is my great pleasure to be able to share the song 'Mansuit' by Letterbombs. Here's a quick snippet of what they had to say about this one:-

'Lyrically the track is mostly quotes from Donnie Darko (2001). Musically we wanted to try something a bit different. Something more straight forward with some twist and turns here and there.'

(Photo Credit: Ville Luosa)

All four of the bands involved in this split have been super active recently, but if you've missed any of their previous releases for any reason then this one is the perfect place to start! If you love screamo and emo-violence, you'll love this.

Demersal - https://www.facebook.com/DemersalOfficial

Piet Onthel - https://www.facebook.com/pietonthelpunx

Letterbombs - https://www.facebook.com/sendmeletterbombs

Vientre - https://www.facebook.com/vientre7

The tapes are with Tomb Tree already so it won't be long before they're available from them and Witch Elm Records. Here's a peak at the variants, including pictures (minus the test dips though):-

46x clear/blue/purple swirl

20x multi-color swirl

5x red/black swirl

5x test dip w/matching swirl case

Links to their stores and social media pages are below:-

Tomb Tree - 

http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/tomb-tree-tapes / https://www.facebook.com/tombtreetapes

Witch Elm Record -

https://witchelmrecords.bandcamp.com / https://www.facebook.com/WITCH-ELM-records

To hear Demersal's track 'No Need For Stories Where We Never Come Alive', make sure you head over to Idioteq's PremieRing article here - https://idioteq.com/premiering-danish-emoviolent-screamo-act-demersal-unveil-new-uncompromising-track-4-way-split-premiering-now.

Also, to hear tracks from Piet Onthel and Vientre, head over to https://www.missthestars.com and https://openmindsaturatedbrain.blogspot.com respectively.

Singular - F.E.I.A.R

Labels: Terr-Records/Tenzenmen

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 07 Apr 2019

Tracklist:

1. Comrade

2. Iron Heart

3. Man Of Escape

4. Cyberpunk

5. Cicada 3301

6. Plagiat

7. Dark Thought

8. Heat

9. Heaven Is For Heroes

10. Siren

11. W.Kemmler

This week is taking it's toll on me. I wasn't going to do any writing tonight but I received an e-mail today from Mashi, whom I know from Malaysian post-hardcore band Cantilever (by the way, I have some tape/CDr copies of the Cantilever EP If people in the UK want one). Mashi is the sole member of Singular, which is a grind project and F.E.I.A.R is the band's first full-length. It's being released on pro CD via Terr-Records and Tenzenmen very soon. At this point I should make it clear that Singular is a fully functioning live band too, so you should book them (if they tour your locale!).

Grind is just what I’m after this evening and you can’t get any noisier than this. Comrade opens “F.E.I.A.R” up with grind of the angular and technical persuasion. It’s fast and awesome. There’s no time to breath between songs as Iron Heart blasts through just over one-and-a-half-minutes of mental noise, though it feels like much longer. I’m loving the instant stop/start between tracks and Man Of Escape is a rager. The screams are throat-scraping and the instrumentation could’ve come from the likes of Napalm Death or Water Torture, albeit with a slightly more melodic edge. 

I was a bit worried when I saw that Singular had a song called Cyberpunk, but thankfully it’s not terrible. In fact it’’s an atmospheric instrumental piece with the sound of rain falling in the background, which adds a layer of ambience that’s often missing from records this extreme. The true shock to the system comes in the form of Cicada 3301, which contains some of the most jarring riffs on the record. Off-kilter for the most part but also combining the band’s obvious love of punk. 

This album absolutely flies by and when Plagiat drags you into the second half, it does so in bludgeoning fashion. Its one-minute playing time leads you into the jarring guitar tones of Dark Thought, which is equally as urgent in its delivery. The layers of feedback only add to its immediacy. At this point in time it may be too easy to call this a grind record, as Singular adds more elements to the music, such as post-hardcore (that may be unsurprising though if you’re familiar with Cantilever).

Heat sees Mashi’s first true attempt at clean vocals on “F.E.I.A.R” and they work really well, given the relatively sedate nature of the opening passages of the song. It’s a moody number that quells the ferocity somewhat and lets you take a breath. It’s back to the maniacal soundscapes with Heaven Is For Heroes, which is made up of a repeated guitar/percussion sequence that takes you into Siren without so much as a warning. 

Siren sees Singular going back to its grinding best. It reminds me of when I first heard bands like Coins As Portraits (Romania). Chaotic and brilliant all in one. The guitar work at the end even sounds like an air raid siren (I suppose that was the intention). Album closer W.Kemmler is just as intense but with melody that seems to sooth things a little. I’ve said here before that those bands outside of the bigger scenes are making the best noise and Singular is definitely up there at the top. Don’t miss out.

You can stream three tracks from "F.E.I.A.R" via Singular's bandcamp page below:-

You can also pre-order it digitally above too.

Singular - https://www.facebook.com/singularinband/

You'll be able to get CD per-orders from the labels below:-

Terr-Records - https://terr-records.bandcamp.com/merch / https://www.facebook.com/TerrRecords/

Tenzenmen - https://tenzenmen.bandcamp.com/ / https://www.facebook.com/tenzenmen.label/

2017 End-Of-Year-List: Mashi Mierul (Cantilever)

Just when you thought that of the end-of-year lists for 2017 had published! I found one sitting in my inbox that I hadn't published, which isn't like me when it comes to things like this. Anyway, I wrote a review a review of Cantilever's EP "The Fall: The Rise" last November and really liked it. Following the review, Mashi decided to submit his end-of-year list all the way from Malaysia. I hope you enjoy it..

1. Dead Heat - Access Denied/S.E.E.D

I listened to this nasty stuff a while ago recommended by my buddy. This is one of a tight hardcore-punk, worth to listen.

2. Incendiary - Thousand Mile Stare

This New York HC band remind me of early Refused. Also the vibe of Snapcase came to my mind. IDK, maybe it’s just me but this album really hook me up.

3. Mastodon - Emperor Of Sand

Well still they cannot surpass the "Crack The Skye" groundbreaker. But it's still a solid album. Good for new listener and oddly, I take this album as my reference for my songwriting in my band’s next release(Cantilever) and my band’s performing post hardcore. I can’t relate, but I really need this album to influence my song writing. Weird

4. Mastodon - Cold Dark Places EP

Released just a few months after EOS. Now I realised why Brent love Rush and blend it to this EP. It sounds so MAJESTIC. 

5. At The Drive-In - Diamante EP

In*ter a*li*a was OK, but their recent EP show that ATDI slowly hit their true road.

6. Dead Cross - Dead Cross

Slayer/Retox/the Locust supergroup. Do I need to tell more?

7. Converge - The Dusk In Us

Its like listening to Jane Doe till All We Love We Leave Behind. But in single release. Neat

8. Ex Deo - The Immortal Wars

This Melodic Death Metal from members of Kataklysm really hit me very well in this album.

9. Elder - Reflections of a Floating World

Its progressive, heavy and doom. Please check it out if you are a fan of Mastodon and alike.

10. Brand New - Science Fiction

"old Brand New" all over again.

Listen to "The Fall:The Rise" by Cantilever below:-

Thanks to Mashi for sending me this list and apologies for forgetting about it until now.

Cantilever - https://www.facebook.com/cantilevertheband/