Det Ar Därför Vi Bygger Stader/Mrtex - Split 7"

Labels: Dingleberry Records/Friendly Otter/Samegrey Records/Through Love Records/Wolf Town DIY/Zegema Beach Records

Foermats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 03 Sep 2017

Tracklist:

1. Det Ar Därför Vi Bygger Stader - Jag Ringer Nog Dig Om Allt Gar At Helvete

2. Det Ar Därför Vi Bygger Stader - Nar Du Kom Tillbaka Sa Var All Disk Ren

3. Det Ar Därför Vi Bygger Stader - Akvarell

4. Mrtex - Slapping The General Populace

4. Mrtex - Inhaling Infants

I recently acquired a physical copy of this split, which brings my Zegema Beach Records discography collection to 51 releases (though that is a rough guesstimate). This 7" was released back in late 2017 featuring songs from Sweden's Det Ar Därför Vi Bygger Stader and US/Canadian band Mrtex. 250 copies were pressed in pretty d.i.y fashion, but that's fine as the aesthetic suits it well.

This split is chock full of piercing emoviolence/screamo and Det Ar Därför’s opener ‘Jag Ringer Nog Dig Om Allt Gar At Helvete’ is a rude awakening if you were expecting something more tuneful. The vocals are super high-pitched screams that almost sound a bit comical, but they’re not, as you’ll realise on ‘Nar Du Kom Tillbaka Sa Var All Disk Ren’. I’m sure I’ve said before that I hear a Japanese influence on Det Ar Därför’s music, but I can still hear it in the atmosphere they weave here. Their final song ‘Akvarell’ is more artsy than I remember any of their earlier music to be and it’s fantastic.

Mrtex follow with two songs that sit on the rawer end of the spectrum, while being lengthier and less violent. ’Slapping The General Populace’ makes use of their instrumental ability (as the instrumentation takes most of the slack), while the vocals are more prevalent at both the beginning and the end-ish. ‘Inhaling Infants’ is like a blistering mass of percussive mite and explosive tension. There’s also plenty of beauty in it too.

Recently when I’ve sat down to write these reviews, I’ve been calm and my head’s been somewhat empty, but this evening’s felt a bit different for whatever reason. What it has done is made really appreciate the raw, cathartic energy that went into the songs that appear on this split. I’m a believer in non-violence and pacifism , but I think I could do with laying off higher-tempo releases like this for a little bit.

You can stream and purchase both sides of the split digitally below:-

 

Det Ar Därför Vi Bygger Stader - https://www.facebook.com/vibyggerstader

Mrtex - https://www.facebook.com/mrtexrebellion

Physical copies are still available from the below labels:-

Friendly Otter - https://friendlyotter.bandcamp.com/album/fo-86-split-7

Through Love Records - https://shop.throughloverec.com/collections/releases/products/det-ar-darfor-vi-bygger-stader-mrtex-split-ep

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

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

Friendly Otter - https://www.facebook.com/friendlyotterrex

Samegrey Records - https://www.facebook.com/samegrey

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

Wolf Town DIY - https://www.facebook.com/WolfTownDiy

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

They Sleep We Live - Escaping The Measures Of Time

Labels: Dingleberry Records/Framecode Records/Kopefen Rec/Pike Records/Samegrey Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 15 Dec 2016

Tracklist:

1. Empty Shells Broken Heart

2. Equilibrium

3. Asunder

4. What Remains

It's nearly May and I haven't written anywhere near as many reviews as last year, but quantity doesn't mean quality so I'm feeling no pressure. I'm kicking off this week with another ZBR roster review, featuring the 2016 single-sided LP from German screamo band They Sleep We Live. Escaping The Measures Of Time was released in December of 2016 by the labels listed above, it was pressed onto 300 copies on coke bottle coloured vinyl and was only the second ever release by the band (according to their bandcamp page). It was sandwiched between splits with Vi Som Alskade Varandra Sa Mycket and Piri Ries, spanning less than twelve months. I call that pretty darn productive for such a short time period.

When writing over the last few years, I’ve had a greater affection for shorter releases. I don’t know why, other than because they’ve always slotted nicely into my weekday routine. I guess you could call me lazy or accuse me of having a short attention span at times, but having a day job that’s somewhat challenging mentally does have that effect on me. Short bursts of screamo/emo really help though and They Sleep We Live’s own take on the sub-genre seems perfect for this sunny evening as the melodic tones of ‘Empty Shells Broken Hearts’ build in volume, threatening to burst forth. The build up is often greater than the explosion though and here it retreats to give way for emo-laden post-hardcore that’s off-kilter and full of impact.

‘Equilibrium’ is pure unadulterated screamo with so much energy and body to it. The mix of harsher screams and emotive clean vocals give it balance, while still allowing They Sleep We Live to spread their message about society and it’s struggle, That message is further brought to life by the instrumentation, in the same way that it is through modern-day crust influenced bands like Morrow and Terra Mater. 

There’s a heavier atmospheric/black metal vibe going on during ‘Asunder’, instrumentally. It’s a vibe that’s fleeting and it gives way to a song that switches between heart wrenching emo and melodic hardcore. It has so much yet it’s totally cohesive and enthralling, showing just how thoughtful and endearing this record, and it’s songwriting is. 

The closing song ‘What Remains’ sounds a little unnerving at first with the musical toy-like sample at it’s beginning. Fear not though, there’s nothing remotely horror-like here, only one final skittish screamo hymn filled with orchestrated movements and European flair. They Sleep We Live will keep you guessing about the direction they’re going to take with each song on this record but that’s no bad thing at all. They all belong together though, creating a short story through music. Absolutely essential. Beautifully packaged.

FFO: La Dispute, Ostraca, Respire, Morrow, Terra Mater

You can stream and purchase Escaping The Measures Of Time via bandcamp below:-

They Sleep We Live - https://www.facebook.com/theysleepwelive

Physical copies can be purchased from the labels below:-

Pike Records - https://www.pikerecords.com/releases/

Zegema Beach Records - USA Store: https://zbrusa.com/collections/zbr-releases/

Dingleberry Records - https://www.facebook.com/Dingleberry-records-and-distribution

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

Kopefen Rec - https://www.facebook.com/Koepfen

Pike Records - https://www.facebook.com/pikercrds

Samegrey Records - https://www.facebook.com/samegrey

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