Drei Affen - Seguimos Ciegxs

Labels: Left Hand Label/Moment Of Collapse Records/Pifia Records/Through Love Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital

Release Date: 13 Jun 2019

Tracklist:

1. Seguimos Ciegxs

2. Llama Viva

3. Como Un Mar Violento

4. Gritos Sordos

5. El Último Aliento

6. Heridas

I'm currently trying to work out the number of releases I have reviewed that I actually physically own. Maybe it's in vain but there is a compulsiveness inside me that says "I need to have them". I'm getting there slowly but surely. That leads me into this, the latest in my ZBR roster review series (another thing that I'm slowly but surely progressing with) and it just so happens that I do have a copy of this glorious LP from Spanish screamo band Drei Affen.

After being self-released digitally by the band in mid-June 2019, Seguimos Ciegxs was released on both CD and single-sided vinyl later on in that same month. The vinyl pressing came on three different colours (gold, red and natural white) with a screen-printed b-side. My copy is the gold pressing that came from Left Hand Label.

I took some time earlier this week to get out of my four walls (I’m currently on annual leave, re-decorating) and by doing so, I re-connected with somebody I haven’t seen for over ten years. It was pretty wholesome to be honest, even though it was brief. It got me thinking about my relationship with music too and more importably, the physical music that I’m lucky enough to have in my collection. While our relationships with music and people may be detached, they’re not so far apart in reality.

Drei Affen’s 2019 release Seguimos Ciegxs is an embodiment of art and catharsis. The title-track is a case in point. After an ambient intro featuring both a sample and calm guitar tones, things get somewhat heavier. Instrumentation hits with almost Neo-crust/emoviolence intensity while the dual-vocals leave no room for peace.

‘Llama Viva’ continues where that opener left off, albeit with a more melodic approach. That’s not to say that it’s any easier on the ear though, as it isn’t. It shows prominently how beautiful and stark Drei Affen’s sound can be. ‘Como Un Mar Violento’ instantly blasts into life next. There’s no time for breath at all, as Drei Affen tear through space and time in belligerent fashion.

‘Gritos Sordos’ follows the same structure and delivery that has been present so far on Seguimos Ciegxs. That’s no bad thing, especially when the song is as expansive as it is here. I haven’t spun this release as often as I should have in recent times and doing so again has made me realise what I’ve missed.

It’s now the EP’s latter half and 'El Último Aliento’ is brimming with dark atmosphere created in part by Drei Affen’s great guitar work and just the quality of their musicianship as a whole. The Spanish lyrical delivery makes the harsh vocals sound even more emotive too. Ending with ‘Heridas’, you’re treated to one final superb blast of controlled intensity. 

The crustier end of screamo/post-hardcore doesn’t always grab me but when it hits. it hits hard. Seguimos Ciegxs is perfectly formed. It’s long enough to get lost in but also short enough that it doesn’t burn out.

You can stream and purchase the EP digitally below:-

Drei Affen - https://www.facebook.com/dreiaffenband

You can still pick up physical copies (the remaining CD copies) from the link below:-

Moment Of Collapse Records - https://shop.momentofcollapse.com/products/drei-affen-seguimos-ciegxs-cd

Left Hand Label - https://www.facebook.com/lefthandlabel

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

Pifia Records - https://www.facebook.com/pifiarecords

Through Love Records - https://www.facebook.com/@ThroughLoveRec

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

Nionde Plagan - Transformation

Labels: Moment Of Collapse

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital

Release Date: 28 Oct 2022

Tracklist:

1. Jag vill det här för oss

2. Resenär

3. Äta sova dö (deluxe edition)

4. Vanligt folk

5. Oro

6. Affirmation

One of the coolest things about writing the Zegema Beach Records roster series of reviews is finding out about all of the bands that are releasing new music. One such band is Sweden's Nionde Plagan, who recently released their newest record Transformation in October via Moment Of Collapse Records. I wrote about their 2015 album Frustration in May of last year and followed it up with a review of their 2017 split 10" with The World That Summer in May of this year. Nionde Plagan must have appreciated those write-ups because they contacted me directly about a month ago, which means a huge amount to me.

Nionde Plagan has always been pigeonholed amongst the screamo/post-hardcore movement of the 2010’s and onwards, but I feel that with Transformation, they’re moving beyond that. ‘Jag vill det här för oss’ begins in really beautiful fashion with gentle organ (I think) and guitar before clean vocals come in alongside subtle percussion. Just after the two-minute mark, Nionde Plagan banishes the feeling of calm with the help of dramatic, down-tempo heaviness and an off-kilter, yet still very rhythmic post-metal approach. I have to remind myself that this is still just the first song!.

After such a rousing and dramatic opener, ‘Resenär’ follows channeling a low-end that stands up against peers like The Ocean Collective while the brighter melody and screamed vocals are still very much trademark Nionde Plagan. I guess the reason for comparing this to The Ocean is because of it’s grandiosity at over twelve minutes in all. There’s definitely a more progressive side to the band’s music, albeit one that shares time with post-rock/metal influences (I guess they go hand-in-hand). The gang-chorus towards the end is utterly brilliant as well.

‘Äta sova dö (deluxe edition)’ hits top gear right from the off with a faster, louder sound that’s more rooted in hardcore and it’s glorious. I don’t know what makes it a “deluxe edition” of the song but it definitely grabs you with it’s crunching, dissonant form. Even when it retreats to an introspective mid-section, there’s still an abrasive soul in there. A soul with a heap of groove and bouncing energy. 

That bouncing energy is replaced by post-rock anxiousness on ‘Vanligt folk’ and if musical claustrophobia was really a thing, the opening bars of this song would be the definition. It doesn’t stay that way for too long though, as more rhythmic screamo takes over and breathes some life and light into the song for a time. I realise that there are different levels of heaviness in music and that this isn’t gonna rip your face off, but that’s not the point of Transformation. As the title suggests, this album is a transition to heavier and more atmospheric climbs. Time will tell but if you take it as it is this album is epic.

One thing that’s really struck me about this album is the guitar tones that Nionde Plagan employ throughout, as evidenced on penultimate song ‘Oro’, which in this case sounds quite scuzzy and distorted initially before settling down with added melody. The music on show here and throughout isn’t overly technical but is intricate and heartfelt. 

Album closer ‘Affirmation’ is apt not only in title but also because the music it contains is an affirmation of just how majestic this album is. For me, it’s the best song on Transformation. As It all comes to a close, I realise that taking my time over this review was the right thing to do. Letting this album wash over me a few times recently has made me appreciate it even more. The end of the year is fast approaching but there’s more than enough time for this record to be amongst your album-of-the-year lists. 

Transformation has been out a couple of weeks now and you can stream it, and purchase it on vinyl and/or digital formats from Nionde Plagan below:-

Nionde Plagan - https://www.facebook.com/NiondePlagan

You can also buy copies from Moment Of Collapse Records here:-

https://shop.momentofcollapse.com/products/nionde-plagan-transformation-lp / https://momentofcollapserecords.bandcamp.com/album/transformation

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

Vi Som Alskade Varandra Sa Mycket - Den Sorgligaste Musiken I Världen

Labels: Blood Of The Young/Zegema Beach Records/Moment Of Collapse

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital

Release Date: 06 Oct 2014

Tracklist:

1. Leva Som Sno

2. Det Liv Vi Ville Ha Var Inte Det Vi Fick

3. Storm Och Längtan

4. Vi Gar Och Gar Och Har Sonder

5. Ett Hjartats Svedjebruk

6. Alfa Och Omega

7. Vi Som Forsvann

8. Illusionen Om Oss

This review has been a little delayed (though some would say a lot delayed, as it the record it focuses on was released way back in 2014). Either way, my slow march through the Zegema Beach Records roster continues and today I'm writing about the first full-length from Sweden's Vi Som Alskade Varandra Sa Mycket, which was released on vinyl by both Canadian label Blood Of The Young and the aforementioned ZBR (who may have been located in New Zealand at the time, though I'm not quite sure about that fact), as well as on CD by Moment Of Collapse.

Today marks part one of my two part Christmas break, which is much needed if a bit short. Things still aren’t normal here, as with everywhere but I’m just going to try and make the best of it. Obviously, things are always better with music and the melodic post-hardcore of Vi Som… is exactly what’s needed. Opening song ‘Leva Som Sno’ is very atmospheric when set against the gloomy backdrop outside my window. While the vocals are screamed in Swedish, they’re not crazy and the instrumentation flows and builds nicely. Even after they mid-way point when the volume increases, it stays atmospheric. Amazing emotional post-hardcore so far. Given that we’re in a time where it’s difficult to spend time with loved ones, this album really ramps up your own emotions, while the stillness and calm created by ‘Det Liv Vi Ville Ha Var Inte Det Vi Fick’ is palpable, even when the dissonance and vocals kick in. It’s more akin to a shoegaze-like song instrumentally as it draws you in with every bar and note. 

It’s impossible to type over the top of such great music but I have to carry on. ‘Storm Och Langtan’ goes through various movements, ranging from the quiet building intro, to heavier parts and catchy, upbeat verses. Despite it being nearly six-minutes in length, it goes by very quickly for a mid-tempo song. This album may be an example of a band in their infancy but it doesn’t sound like it. It’s very assured and mature. This review has been written in two sittings, as I’ve not quite been in the right frame of mind to write today but ‘Vi Gar Och Gar Och Gar Sonder’  has done enough to lift me up again. For some reason the screams are all the more heart-wrenching now and the music also, which somehow seems to magnify the frailties of our own mind. 

It’s actually quite amazing how differently you interpret music based on your mood. ‘Ett Hjartats Svedjebruk’ begins as a slightly mournful piece before melody lifts it up and it becomes lighter, albeit for a moment anyway. It slows again during the mid-section, before picking up again just when you thought it had ventured further down. It’s these rollercoasters that give Vi Som’s… music such feeling. ‘Alfa Och Omega’ has a totally different feel to it. A more upbeat and punchier one from the get go. Even when everything tempers down and settles into something more stripped back, it still produces a ray of light that justifies its shorter playing time. There’s all kinds of debates on social media about whether this sort of music should be classed as hardcore, screamo or emo at the moment. I don’t care what it’s called really. It doesn’t matter as long as sounds this good.

There are elements of both La Dispute (specifically, maybe?) and black metal flowing through penultimate song ‘Vi Som Forsvann’. Those elements make it a really endearing listen. My earlier comparison may seem a but random but if you give it the time, you’ll understand why. Vi Som… uses album closer ‘Illusionen Om Oss’ as a bit of a wake up call, with probably their most dissonant and feedback-laden song on Den Sorgligaste Musiken I Varlden. Said feedback gives it a sense of chaos, alongside the mix of time-signatures, percussion and passionate screams. Above all though, there’s the realisation that this album is more than just the some of it’s parts and indeed, so is Vi Som… 

This album is exactly why I love digging back into the early careers of bands and why this review series exists. Please, spend some time with this and If you want to, please tell me how it makes you feel. I’m sure it’ll be a story worth telling.

You can stream and purchase the album digitally below:-

Vi Som Alskade Varandra Sa Mycket - https://www.facebook.com/visomalskade

You can buy physical copies from the labels below:-

Moment Of Collapse Records - CD - https://kollektif.eu/screamoemo/51187-vi-som-alskade-varandra-sa-mycket-den-sorgaligaste-musiken-i-varlden-cd.html

Moment Of Collapse Records - vinyl - https://kollektif.eu/screamoemo/50318-vi-som-alskade-varandra-sa-mycket-den-sorgaligaste-musiken-i-varlden-lp.html

Blood Of The Young Records - https://www.facebook.com/BloodOfTheYoungRecordsPress

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

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