Serling - Four O' Clock Premiere

There's a brand new release coming on Wednesday 19th June from Tomb Tree (alongside Fisher King Records and Soft Grit Recordings). It's a limited 12" lathe split featuring US math rock band Charger Port and mathcore compatriots Serling. Charger Port contribute three songs here with Serling's two tracks coming in between. I'm excited to be able to bring you an advance premiere of Serling's second track 'Four O' Clock'. Check out the song below:-

‘Four O’ Clock’ is filled with everything from grind, to noise rock and math-infused metal. The tone is low and the vocals have that almost manic spoken-word delivery that Chat Pile fans will be familiar with. 

Tracklist:

1. Charger Port - The Enter Net

2. Serling - Two

3. Charger Port - A Flip Switched

4. Serling - Four O' Clock

5. Charger Port - Hey Is For Horse Is

I Don't Watch Sports Anymore comes on 25 black and 25 clear lathes, with inserts and custom handmade jackets from Josh of Vamonos Tapes. Check the promo flyers below:-

You'll be able to grab copies and stream the full split from the links below on Wednesday:-

Fisher King Records - https://fisherkingrecords.bandcamp.com/music

Tomb Tree - https://tombtreetapes.bandcamp.com

Charger Port - https://www.facebook.com/Chargerpurt

Serling - https://www.facebook.com/SERLING.band

Fisher King Records - https://www.facebook.com/FisherKingRecords

Soft Grit Recordings - https://www.facebook.com/ShoppingCartHeroRecords

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

Excrucis - Excrucis Full Album Premiere

Tomorrow will see the release of the new self-titled album from Chicago, Illinois screamo/math-rock quartet Excrucis. Bringing to mind a cross breed of Blind Girls and These Arms Are Snakes, with members having played in the likes of Nouveau (post-hardcore), Not For You (dark rock) and other bands over the last decade.

This evening I'm honoured to be able to bring you a full album premiere, in suitably unannounced fashion:-

You'll be able to see from the video above that the usual attention to detail has been put into the tapes from Tomb Tree. Those swirl tapes look amazing! In terms of pressing quantities there will be 151 tapes in all with 85 band white, 15 ZBR white, 25 orange swirl, 21 random swirl and 5 test dip tapes with matching swirl cases.

I'll be writing a full review of this release along with the Seasons Worn EP in the very near future, but here's the track list in advance of the release:-

Tracklist:

1. One Must Make A Living

2. At Least Until The Plague Takes You

3. Mandated Violence

4. Proper Name, A Broken Plaything

5. Drowning The Second Sister

6. Conspiracy Of Solitude

7. Deviancy Amplification Spiral

8. Contrition

9. Maudlin Pirouette

You'll be able to stream and purchase the album digitally from Excrucis on bandcamp here:-

https://excrucis.bandcamp.com/album/excrucis 

You can order tape copies tomorrow from Tomb Tree via their US store here - https://zbrusa.com/collections/tapes/products/tt099 and their CAN/INTL store here - https://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/tomb-tree-tapes/tt099

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

A-Tota-So To Play Summer Festivals

Derby, UK math-rock band a-tota-so are due to play at some great UK festivals this summer, alongside a whole host of national and international bands. They'll also be joined by some special guests of their own, as they perform songs from their most recent full-length album Lights Out.

On July 15th they'll be performing at Nottingham's Mangata Festival, which takes place across three different venues in the city. Cheek out the flyer below for the line-up:-

Then on July 22nd, they'll be heading to Hyde Park Book Club is Leeds to perform with Bristol art-rockers No Violet and local Leeds dreampop band Fern Veh. The gig has been organised by Bad Owl Presents. Here's the flyer:-

Finally, on August 17th comes the big one, as a-tota-so hit the stage at ArcTanGent as part of Thursday's line-up, which also includes Converge, Russian Circles, Cave In, Chat Pile, Chinese Football and countless more besides them. Here's the full festival flyer, as well as Thursday's clash-finder in case you still haven't decided on the bands you want to see:-

In case you need any warming up for those three live appearances, here's the video for 'Far Enough' from Lights Out which features the vocals of Damien Sayell (of The St Pierre Snake Invasion and Mclusky):-

a-tota-so are currently in the process of writing their third album, which they're aiming to record later this year. Keep up to date with their other goings on here - https://www.facebook.com/atotaso

Mangata Festival - https://www.facebook.com/mangatafestival

Bad Owl Presents - https://www.facebook.com/BadOwlPresents

ArcTanGent Festival - https://www.facebook.com/atgfestival

Nhomme - 一 種 の 過 音

Labels: Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 13 Feb 2023

Tracklist:

1. 一 種 の 過 音 i

2. 一 種 の 過 音 ii

3. 一 種 の 過 音 iii

I'm going to interspersing my ongoing look at the discography the makes up Zegema Beach Records with some of the label's more recent 2023 releases. I mean damn, there are enough of them to keep the series going for a good few years. This is a new-ish release, having come out last month. It's the latest EP to come from Japanese band Nhomme. Nhomme's music seems to encapsulate screamo, emoviolence, post-rock, math-rock and even djent. They were on a split with Asunojokei, as well as Pale and Tochu-Kaso in 2020, which is of note because I'm slowly trying to build up and complete my Asunojokei collection. This release has been made up of 146 tape copies, across three different variants as well as 5 special test dips. 

This promises to be really good, as every Japanese band I’ve ever heard is. EP opener ‘一 種 の 過 音 I’ is a math-rock fans dream, plain and simple. Deliciously melodic but with a bizarre yet really likeable jazz approach and amazing instrumental finesse. Its not until the two-minute mark that Nhomme introduces vocals and while they’re sparely used, their high-pitched screams are perfect amongst the music they nestle amongst.

‘一 種 の 過 音 ii’ takes the experimental nature of the opener and magnifies it, thanks to a longer running time. The production and general sound of the music on here is so alive and vibrant, without coming across as overproduced or condensed. Such musical freedom seems to be afforded to Japanese bands and Nhomme exhibits it so well here.

Their final song ‘一 種 の 過 音 iii’ features their now familiar morse code-like guitar playing, which on it’s own is strange yet works brilliantly when joined by the rest of Nhomme. It’s repetitive nature may drive some people mad but lovers of avant-garde, improvisational and expressive music will love it. More traditional screamo makes it onto the song’s latter half, which adds another layer to the recording. 

Nhomme are a total find! Utterly bewildering and jarring in places, yet also beautiful and cathartic in another. This is one of those EP’s that you’ll regret not owning. I myself am in a highly suggestible mood when it comes to ordering physical releases at the moment, so may well be shopping after this. Get it while you can!

You can stream and purchase the EP as a name-your-price download below:-

Nhomme - https://twitter.com/nhomme_band

Physical tapes can be purchased from Zegema Beach Records below (but be warned, they're running low):-

Zegema Beach Records - CAN/INTL - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases/nhomme

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

Works - Laura Palmer Song Premiere

First came Hey Predator!, then Girl Arm and now say hello to Works. The story of Canadian Math-rock/Indie/Post-punk band Works has a couple of constants, starting with their association with Zegema Beach Records and more importantly Tomb Tree, who will be releasing their debut album tomorrow. 

Hey Predator! released a discography tape via Tomb Tree last year posthumously, as they broke up in 2010, at which point four out of the band's five members formed Girl Arm, who released an LP/Tape via ZBR back in 2018. The band was well into the recording of their newest LP when they decided to change their name to Works. 

Is There A Head In There? will be officially released tomorrow on 100 LPs and in anticipation of it, I'm really excited to be able to bring you a premiere featuring the song 'Laura Palmer':-

Works had this to say about the song:-

"For Laura Palmer all I got is:

I can’t find a gif of it but I’d also like to submit the dance Tim Roth does when he gets shot a million times in this scene in the new season."

This song is full of cracking instrumentation, mixing subtle math-rock with a large twist of Franz Ferdinand/Interpol style indie. 

Tomb Tree will have the album available for streaming/download and physical purchase from the below locations:-

Tomb Tree Bandcamp - https://tombtreetapes.bandcamp.com

Tomb Tree CAN/INTL Store - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/tomb-tree-tapes / USA Store - https://zbrusa.com/

Works - https://www.facebook.com/workstheband

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

Paper Hats - Might (YouTube Song Premiere)

This evening sees a brand new song premiere courtesy of Canadian math-rock band Paper Hats. Their new song Might will appear on new EP "Tearing", which is due out on Friday 21st June via No Funeral Records and is currently live for pre-order via their webstore.

You can listen to the song via my YouTube channel here - https://youtu.be/j1gMFEMswGs, where you'll also find links to both Bandcamp and the pre-order. The full EP will also be streaming in it's entirety from Friday. Check it out, as Might is great and the rest of the EP is too (trust me)!

Paper Hats - https://www.facebook.com/bandpaperhats/

No Funeral Records - https://www.facebook.com/nofuneral8/

Big Water - Typical Porn Song Premiere

Hers's a jam for ya! This is the latest song to be released by Kansas City screamo band Big Water. Their new release "Drink More Water" will be up for pre-order on Thursday 14th December on limited tape, via both The Ghost Is Clear Records and Zegema Beach Records.

Below, you stream Typical Porn via my Youtube channel:-

The song is a rad mix of twinkly emo, math-rock and shouty screamo/hardcore. Big Water features members from Regret, The Informer, Canyons and Bummer. They've got riffs and energy flowing from every musical orifice and in a world where sub-genres are constantly merging into one noisy writhing mess, they've got enough hooks to keep you hooked. 

You can also stream the song B.M. via (((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain))))) via the below link - 

https://openmindsaturatedbrain.blogspot.com/2018/12/big-water-exclusive-premiere.html?m=1&fbclid=IwAR1iUoVAx90cec1dw4EVpCbruUVo-c2I5uIryVNgsNzmJNgZugLNDaO0lMw

Plus the song My Name Is Chappie Johnson And I Can't Open This Damn Pickle Jar via Apathy and Exhaustion here - http://apathyandexhaustion.com/big-water-exclusive-stream-of-new-track/?fbclid=IwAR36sMl_srRggu8al6nTLRv1_y6Qc31ezn1dMZJhWpJAaHKZbNbus0D_Sqs

Keep an eye on Big Water's social media page for more news on the release.

Pre-order's will up as stated on 14th December via the links below:-

The Ghost Is Clear Records - http://theghostisclearrecords.limitedrun.com

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

A-Tota-So - Self-Titled

Labels: Lonely Voyage Records/Buttonpusher/Circuit Sweet

Formats: VinylCD/Digital

Release Date: 17 Sep 2018

Tracklist:

1. Black Market Broccoli

2. Tea Leaf

3. Double Deaf

4. Notionology

5. Acer

6. Long Run

7. Box-Elder

8. Future Finger

9. Clever Liver

Monday of this week brought us the debut album from East Midland math-rock band A-Tota-So. This release has been two years in the making yet even before it's release, the trio scored a slot at ArcTanGent and toured the UK with British instrumental trio Chiyoda Ku. The band got together when their other bands Alright The Captain and Cheap Jazz decided to take a break.

A-Tota-So’s math-rock is filled to the brim with instrumental loveliness straight from the moment you press play. The bizarrely titled opener Black Market Broccoli flits between calm mid-paced tempos and the odd noisy, layered passage that makes everything sound truly cinematic. While that first song was considerably upbeat, the feeling you get from Tea Leaf is a mixture of confusion and of being on-edge, due to it’s time-signatures that are all over the place and the dissonant riffs that explode at points throughout. It is a heavy number, that’s for sure. Double Deaf carries on in the same vein and the title is very apt as it’s loud with a really bass-heavy tone.

A-Tota-So mix grunge and post-rock elements into their music quite often and you can hear some of those elements on Notionology. The quieter moments are very introspective and there’s even room at for cracking guitar-work that sounds like it was taken from metal’s top drawer. As with the rest of the album, it’s all kept in check by the drumming, which presents the time-shifting heartbeat of the album. The way this album flows from one song to the next is impressive too and before you know it, the soothing tones of Acer are wringing out. 

I have to admit that sitting here with the wind gusting outside, listening to this album with a glass of red wine is making me feel a little smug. Not in a pretentious way though, but just because it’s a great way to unwind and the urgency of Long Run is more life-affirming than it is face-smashing. The trio ups the volume again on Box-Elder, which is remarkably powerful and shines a light on the incredibly recording/mixing/mastering that were done by Pete at NWFA Studios and Rich at Snug Recoding Co. respectively. 

Penultimate song Future Finger has been put here to hypnotise you with repeated riffs and movements. Closer Clever Liver catches the band’s experimental nature and deft musicianship one last time, just to ensure that their sound gets buried deep within your head. This is a great album and another reason why Britain continues to lead the way when it comes to experimental and instrumental math/post-rock.

You can stream A-Tota-So's debut album below:-

It's available to purchase now on vinyl, cd and digitally.

A-Tota-So - https://www.facebook.com/atotaso/

You can also purchase it from the below labels:-

Lonely Voyage Records - https://lonelyvoyagerecords.bandcamp.com/merch

Circuit Sweet - https://circuitsweet.bigcartel.com

Lonely Voyage Records - https://www.facebook.com/lonelyvoyage

Buttonpusher - https://www.facebook.com/buttonpusherbookings

Circuit Sweet - https://www.facebook.com/circuitsweet/