Sulfur - La démone Premiere

In just over ten days time, Canadian label Tomb Tree will be releasing a brand new split tape featuring UK emoviolence bands Sulfur and Martin Randal Travel (who have sadly called it a day according to their Instagram page). I am thrilled to be able to premiere Sulfur's track 'La démone'. I can't tell you how excited I am about the fact that two new-ish UK bands are being released by a label halfway across the world, who in turn are championing them across the whole damn world!

Before I post the fresh YouTube stream of the song (courtesy of Tomb Tree/ZBR), here are some words about the song from Sulfur:-

'La démone was the first time we'd sat down and written a slow burner of a song so I decided I wanted to make the lyrics hit as much as possible. Written about my struggle with bulimia, it's almost a chronological walk through the most intense part of the disorder that I'd dealt with right up until the point before I really broke out of that cycle. 

Thankfully, a song we'd put that much work into could go on a split with some of the people who helped us get involved in the wider UK emo scene. Kush especially has done so much work to help grow the scene and allow newer bands to make their way around the country.'

Without any more delay, here's 'La démone' in it's violent, radiant glory:-

As for the tapes themselves; here's a picture of the lovely Primary swirl variant /20:-

Sulfur Instagram - @sulfur.hc

Martin Randal Travel Instagram - @martinrandaltravel

Tape copies will be available for purchase on February 24th via Tomb Tree here - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/tomb-tree-tapes and here - https://zbrusa.com/collections/tapes.

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

Tomb Tree - GreenBlueGrey + Black Nails/Sharp Teeth 'Split' Double Song Premiere

On December 27th, Canadian label Tomb Tree will be releasing a brand new split tape featuring solo cybergrind/Nintendocore projects GreenBlueGrey (from Illinois, USA) and Black Nails/Sharp Teeth (from Connecticut, USA). Both projects have been releasing music at a hell of a rate since they started in 2023 and they released their first split gbg.bn/st together in October 2023. They also appeared on the awesome Wax Vessel comp The Compilation That Doesn't Suck last year.

I am honoured to be able to launch this double song premiere in advance of the full split release next week. Play the hell out of both songs below:-

The split will come in the form of 48 tapes: 14 purple, 15 purple swirl, 15 white swirl and 4 test dips w/matching swirl cases. These may well be amongst the last swirl tapes to come from Tomb Tree, as the supply of paints will be coming to an end soon. Check the promo pic below:-

Here's what Dusty from GreenBlueGrey had to say about the track 'my tears flow for miles, Davis' - 

"There's so much going on everywhere all the time. Not all of it is your fault. That doesn't mean be complacent, but also doesn't mean punish yourself for your complacency. Don't be afraid. Be angry, but don't be consumed. Do what you can. Remember to breathe. That's what the song is about I guess."

Drums on the Black Nails/Sharp Teeth song 'Do Spiders Wink Like This ;;;;) Or Like This :::;)' come courtesy of Cody Davis from Man Is The Most Dangerous Animal too (I believe).

Make sure you stream and grab the rest of their releases digitally via bandcamp below:-

GreenBlueGrey - https://greenbluegrey.bandcamp.com/

Black Nails/Sharp Teeth - https://bnstdanceparty.bandcamp.com

GreenBlueGrey - https://www.instagram.com/greenbl.uegrey/ / 

Black Nails/Sharp Teeth - https://www.instagram.com/bnstdanceparty/

Also, keep a close eye on Tomb Tree's various pages for more news on this release:-

Tomb Tree - https://tombtreetapes.bandcamp.com / https://www.facebook.com/tombtreetapes / https://www.instagram.com/_tomb_tree_/

Suspected Of Arson Records - Suite Green and Alas 'Finnskramz Compilation' Song Premiere

As promised yesterday, I'm thrilled to be able to bring you a two song premiere featuring music from two absolutely brilliant Finnish screamo/emo bands. If you''re at all familiar with this blog, you'll know that I'm a huge fan of heavy Finnish music and when the head honcho of Suspected Of Arson Records wrote to me about a compilation the label was releasing, I didn't think twice about featuring it in some way.

I listened to the full comp and asked if I could feature both songs and to my surprise, Chris was happy to oblige. The two bands (and songs) I'm premiering this evening are Suite Green and their song 'Sometimes' alongside 'En ole siellä' by Alas. Both songs are available to stream via my YouTube Channel below:-

I was spellbound by both of these songs when I first heard them. From the melodic approach of Suite Green to the abrasive majesty of Alas; the variety and complexity of musicianship demonstrated by both  bands here, as well as the others who have contributed to this compilation makes it an obvious listen for anybody who is into heavy and enigmatic screamo.

The comp will be available digitally and on limited tape from Suspected Of Arson Records soon.

Suite Green - https://www.facebook.com/suitegreenband

Alas - https://www.facebook.com/alasyhtye

Suspected Of Arson Records - https://www.facebook.com/tulikuljekanssani/

Note: If any of the above information is incorrect, please let me know and I will correct it. Cheers.

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

Tragedy Struck First - Forever Gone Single Premiere

Today sees the release of the brand new single from UK melodic metal band Tragedy Struck First. About a year ago I premiered the band's single 'That Which Leaves Us Hollow' via my Youtube Channel. It gained over 1,200 views at the time and now I'm really excited to be able to share the band's latest single 'Forever Gone'.

Back when I featured 'That Which Leaves Us Hollow',  Tragedy Struck First was essentially the solo-project of Grymm Neve but more recently the project has morphed into a full band line-up. That line-up is - Grymm Neve on vocals, Kajun Wickham on guitars, Jack Buckley on guitars and Bill Kent on Drums. 

'Forever Gone' is their latest single and you can stream it via my Youtube channel once again below:-

Here's what Grymm had to say about the song and what it means to him:-

“We have all suffered grief through losing a loved one at some point in our lives and through this track we hope to connect to the listener so they don't feel alone in their darkest hours”

'Forever Gone' definitely lives up to it's melodic metal billing, but with added elements of death metal and deathcore. The influences of Bury Tomorrow, Shadow Of Intent and Ingested, alongside some subtle Scandinavian-like tones. The full-band recording is really good and promises a great deal. The future of Tragedy Struck First has been cemented here and will hopefully lead to more music and maybe even a full-length record in time.

The above video was my own attempt for this premiere but Tragedy Struck First also released a lyric video (which is honestly much better) and you can view it below:-

Please give them your support and stream/watch/share the hell of this on all streaming platforms where you can and follow their progress here - https://www.facebook.com/tragedystruckfirst

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

Loose Teeth - Confronting The Inevitable Premiere

July 31st, save the date, because it's the day that the brand new split between Toronto (CAN) chaotic hardcore band Loose Teeth and and fellow metalcore countrymen Constrain is being released by Tomb Tree. To wet your appetites for the release, I'm lucky enough to be able to share Loose Teeth's closing song 'Confronting The Inevitable'. Play it loud below:-

Loose Teeth had the following to say about both the song and the split:-

“Confronting the inevitable is a commentary on the encombrant struggle that is; accepting a wealth of mental health issues brought on by years of maladaptive substance abuse as a means of coping with trauma. It is meant as a reminder that there comes a time when excessive medication used as an anxious-avoidant agent without coupled therapy - or other means of acceptance - leads to a breaking point. For some, that breaking point can be harnessed as a positive turning point where they seek out appropriate help or manage to make significant changes on their own. For others, it can mean a detrimental impact on their livelihood or worse.”

“This split is a large departure for Loose Teeth. We wanted to do something different and express our more emotive side following “A Comorbid Letter” and ahead of an even more aggressive album later this year. There are very few times where we have a moment to breathe and reflect when expressing the darkest forms of ourselves constantly and we had some spare time to do so over the pandemic when we wrote these songs from opposite sides of the continent together. Constrain are a new group formed from long-standing friends and pillars of the hardcore community in Hamilton and they were a natural fit. We’re also stoked to be backed by the amazing people at Tomb Tree and even had some assistance from No Funeral Records with the artwork.”

In terms of the physical goods from Tomb Tree, the split will be pressed on a total of 33 tapes. 20 will be on silver swirl, 10 on grey with 3 test dips coming with matching swirl cases. You can peek them below:-

Finally, the full tracklisting for the split is as follows:-

1. Constrain - The Fantastic Mr. Fox (You cussin_ with me -) ft. Thomas Erak of The Fall Of Troy

2. Loose Teeth - Rancor

3. Constrain - Lavitz

4. Loose Teeth - Longest Week

5. Constrain - When I Was Sick

6. Loose Teeth - Confronting The Inevitable

Keep your eyes peeled on the links below for news of the split drop:-

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

Loose Teeth - https://www.facebook.com/LooseTeethHC

Constrain - https://www.facebook.com/Constrain905

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

Seasons Worn - The One Who Stops The Water Premiere

Legend has it that Dave Norman (head honcho at Tomb Tree) went to see Vancouver hardcore band Thank You Driver, where he also witnessed fellow Vancouverites Seasons Worn, chased (or tracked) them down in the parking lot and "connected' with them. That connection led to the impending release of their newest EP A Flower In Faith on July 14th.

This evening, I'm very excited to be able to bring you a premiere of the EP's fourth song 'The One Who Stops The Water' in advance of the full release:-

A Flower In Faith will be released on 50 tapes. There are no pics of them right now, as Dave's dipping them as we speak.

In terms of what you can expect from this EP; expect metalcore akin to The Fall Of Troy coupled with elements of Refused, Poison The Well and Your Spirit Dies. Needless to say, it's a proper banger and it proves that there's really no substitute for witnessing a band in a live setting.

I'll be looping back round in a week or so with a full review of the EP, but for now make sure you jam the heck out of this track and keep an eye on the below social links for further news regarding the release:-

Seasons Worn - https://www.facebook.com/SeasonsWorn616

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

AUX.AURA - Stepped On Smiles Song Premiere + EP Review

On June 13th Canadian label Tomb Tree will be releasing the self-titled EP from the band AUX.AURA. Prior to the release, it's my pleasure to be able to bring you a special premiere of 'Stepped On Smiles', which is the fourth and final song on the EP. There's very little info online about them (though they've been described as "Senza goes metalcore?") but that's fine because their music does all the talking as you'll find out below:-

Tomb Tree will be releasing the EP on tape, limited to 43 copies. Check out a sneaky peek at the goods below:-

At this point I was just going to talk about the song that's taken centre stage this evening, but where's the fun in that when the full EP is calling me.

Tracklist:

1. UpRightDownLeft With Grief

2. Am I Boring You?

3. Borderline Parasite

4. Stepped On Smiles

Aux-aura is a proper quick-fire EP. Opener ‘UpRightDownLeft With Grief’ is it’s longest song and is filled with panic-chords, glitchy riffs and screeching vocals that’ll give The Body a run for their money. The percussion is epic and quite upfront in the recording, while overall it sounds and feels truly invigorating. Mathy and violent are words that aptly describe this release. ‘Am I Boring You?’ Is anything but boring. The riffs take more of the stage and help elevate a sub two-minute song into something much bigger. The vocals pierce through the instrumentation perfectly and while some may call them grating, they’re exactly right for this release. Insane!

‘Borderline Parasite’ is the brutally urgent and on-point song that this EP’s been promising, with tempo changes and a heightened sense of anxiety running through it. I know that people consider the golden age of mathcore/emoviolence to have long gone but on this showing, it’s very much re-igniting. Final track ‘Stepped On Smiles’ ends the EP in excellent fashion. with some of the fastest drumming you’ll ever hear alongside guitars and vocals that more than match in ferocity. Musically the EP’s technical as well as fast, which gives you more if you invest your time in it. It’s over before you know it and if you’re like me, you’ll want it to go on and on. I don’t know where Tomb Tree finds bands like AUX.AURA but I want to know the secret!

Keep an eye on Tomb Tree's store on June 13th to make sure you don't miss out on this one - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/tomb-tree-tapes

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

New UK Melodic Death Metal: Tragedy Struck First - That Which Leaves Us Hollow Single Premiere

This evening I'm really excited to be able to bring you the debut single from new melodic death metal band Tragedy Struck First. The band is a duo featuring Grymm Neve (the vocalist of Vesicarum) and Dave Austin (guitarist of Wicked Stone). The band hails from Kent in the South of England. 

You can listen to the 'That Which Leaves Us Hollow' in the video below:-

The song 'That Which Leaves Us Hollow' is about Grymm's cousin, who struggled with cancer as a child and sadly passing away. 

Tragedy Struck First is a proper joint effort with multi-instrumentalist Dave focusing on guitar, both Dave and Grymm composing the drums and Grymm adding vocals on top. The duo counts modern tech/brutal death metal bands such as Archspire, Shadow Of Intent and Ingested amongst their influences and when you listen to the track, you'll understand why. It's a very mature and accomplished death metal song with a modern sound.

All that's left is for me to drop a promo shot of the band below:-

You can keep up-to-date and in touch with Tragedy Struck First via Facebook below:-

https://www.facebook.com/TragedyStruckFirst

You can also find them on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming platforms.

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

Soul Crusher - 30 AM Song Premiere

Some things in life are completely unexpected, just like being asked to do this premiere a couple of days ago (not that I'm complaining, because I love it!). Soul Crusher is the solo-project featuring Sasha of Life In Vacuum/Kiken/Congratulations fame, so it seems completely right for his new EP to be released by an imprint of Zegema Beach Records.

Softseed Music will be releasing Soul Crusher's self-titled EP on October 19th and tonight I get the privilege of premiering it's second single 30 AM. Here's what Sasha had to say about the song:-

“So 6 30 am, I mean it’s a sixth song so I thought it just looked cool that way like it’s a sixth song and at the same time it says 6 30 am. So really the song is called 30 AM(I guess). The song itself is about the pressure of having to behave the certain way and having to just be all your best self like if you are on a tv show or at a family Christmas dinner all the time”

You can stream the song via Youtube below:-

The tape run coming from Softseed Music will consist of 40 tapes, with 15 coming on opaque red swirl (pictured below), 10 on clear swirl, 10 on red and 5 test dips.

The EP (as you can see from the picture above), features six songs. I'd describe 30 AM as a kind of melancholic and slightly dystopian post-punk/goth song with synths. I don't know how accurate that brief description is, but you can decide for yourselves once you've listened to it!

Keep up to date with news of this release and more via the social media pages below:-

Soul Crusher - https://www.facebook.com/soulcrusherrr

Softseed Music - https://www.facebook.com/softseedmusic

Colacon - This Little Light Of Mine, It's Gonna Burn My Eyes Out Ft. Cody Chudy Song/Video Premiere

On October 7th, Canadian label Tomb Tree releases the new album The Pestilent Sickness from Georgia, USA grindcore/mathcore band Colacon and this evening, I'm honoured to be able to bring you the second track premiere for the release, 'This Little Light Of Mine, It's Gonna Burn My Eyes Out' featuring guest vocals from Cody Chudy.

Check the video out for the song in all it's glory below:-

You're in for a treat with this, especially if you like your technical grind/death served up with a huge dollop of mathcore craziness!

It'll be available digitally but there's also going to a (sick!) tape pressing from the aforementioned Tomb Tree, featuring 51 tapes. 30 copies will be on a purple/green swirl, 10 will be on a yellow/red swirl, plus there will 6 test dips and 5 mystery swirls.

Tomb Tree has already revealed the 'Handshake with lawnmower on a sunny day' yellow/red variant tape on their social media channels. Here it is below:-

The Pestilent Sickness will include eleven songs in total and promises to be a proper head smasher!

The first track to be premiered from the album 'We're Gonna Need A Bigger Lawnmower To Keep These Snakes Out The Grass' is available via OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain below:-

https://openmindsaturatedbrain.blogspot.com

For more news on the release, keep your eyes glued to the below links:-

Colacon - https://www.facebook.com/colaconga

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

Cuck - Worship The Uniform: Official Music Video Premiere

July 26th 2022 saw the release of the debut self-titled full-length from New Zealand powerviolence band Cuck. The band formed shortly after the member's returned home from the Crowning/Swallows Nest tour of Europe in 2019 (and also features members of Sewage, as well as ex-members of Machina Rex and Yung Nats). The album contains 14 tracks of rip-roaring, heavy pv and was released on a run of 52 tapes by Tomb Tree. I'm excited to be able to bring you the premiere of the music video for track number 10 'Worship The Uniform' in partnership with the label:-

Both 'Worship The Uniform' and it's accompanying video take direct aim at the British monarchy and the commonwealth all within fifty seconds, as you'll see when you watch it. 

Cuck will definitely appeal to those of you who like bands such as Aureole Of Ash, Cloud Rat and Svffer amongst others. The tapes have been split into the following variants:-

20 on Sookee Swirl:

12 on The Cuck Galaxy Swirl:

10 on Half Red/Black:

5 Mystery Swirls and 5 Test Dips (not pictured)

The full album can be streamed via Tomb Tree's bandcamp page below, where it's also available as a name-your-price digital download:-

Physical tape copies can be purchased from the Tomb Tree section of the Zegema Beach Records CAN/INTL store and at the time of writing this, copies of all three of the pictured variants are still available - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/tomb-tree-tapes/tt073.

Cuck - https://cucucuck.bandcamp.com/releases

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