Labels: Zegema Beach Records
Formats: CD/Digital
Release Date: 24 Apr 2026
Tracklist:
1. Spirit Incantation
2. Glimmer Fate
3. Etchings
4. Perish Song
5. A Deeper Shade Of Night
6. Spiteful Enemy
7. Suzerain
8. Malediction
9. Ritual Symmetry
10. Blood Astronomy
11. Arrangement
12. Meadow Rue
13. Baleful Solitude
14. Arguments In Iron
15. Everdark Conifers
16. Marionette
17. Propitiation
18. When What Once Works Suddenly Breaks
19. Aspected Of Dust
It's insane how many new-ish screamo bands already have such a pedigree. The community of bands from across the world is continually exploding and it's especially the case in North America. Canada's Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead are most certainly one of those bands and they've also been given the discography treatment by Zegema Beach Records recently. In fact, the CDs were made in time for their recent appearance at ZBR Fest in early May.
Drive Your Plow... released their demo back in 2023, before their debut album Tragedy In Catharsis merely a years later in 2024. In 2025, they featured on a six-way split LP and also a bizarre 6-way Christmas 7" single. This CD gathers together every recorded song to date.
This is the second discography I’ve featured in as many weeks and I knew it was gonna be a biggie! It’s a collection of all nineteen songs Drive Your Plow… have released so far. Starting with ‘Spirit Incantation’, which was the lead single and opener on their album Tragedy As Catharsis, you’re greeted with noisy and emotive post-hardcore. The blasting drums are right up in the mix, while the guitars sit deeper when everything’s in full flow. The vocals are mainly raspy screams but there are some low growls hidden in there too.
It’s probably not going to be the case for many songs here but there’s an instrumental mid-section during ‘Spirit Incantation’, which is measured and excellently delivered. Things get a lot weirder from here, as ‘Glimmer Fate’ demonstrates, when it goes from intense grind to danceable screamo and back. They certainly fit a lot into their music. ’Etchings’ lasts thirty-seconds and after the feedback has settled, you’re left with some mental, grinding mathcore-like noise. I like how this isn’t just straight-up heaviness, as Drive Your Plow… are able to craft metallic riffs and melody into even the shortest of songs. Despite the brief pause between each one, they all follow on as if the pauses weren’t there.
The guitar tone that opens ‘Perish Song’ is so engrossing, you almost forget that things are about to explode. The way this band switches the mood from hopeful to uneasy is nothing short of jaw-dropping. ‘A Deeper Shade Of Night’ continues along the off-kilter path that’s been laid down so far, but with much more furious percussion, which at times sounds industrial. It’s over very quickly and you’re immediately thrust into ‘Spiteful Enemy’ and it’s The Body-esque emoviolence. It’s actually a lot more hardcore in places, with chunky riffs and backing vocals joining the madness.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that ‘Suzerain’ was going to be an instrumental before Drive Your Plow… once again drive their auditory plow right into your face. There’s nowhere to hide with this one. You’re just going to have to accept your fate at this point, as ‘Malediction’ carries on the barrage. The sudden stop mid-way through catches you off guard a bit, as some (relatively) gentle guitar is joined by atmospheric screams. It builds again just before the end, before stopping dead.
‘Ritual Symmetry’ has one of the longest instrumental build-ups of any song here so far. It’s a hard one to pin down style-wise as it’s equal parts screamo, punk and even atonal in places. Again, it shows that Drive Your Plow… are able to nail the more engrossing/engaging side of their sound with ease. From one end of the spectrum to the other though as ‘Blood Astronomy’ has no such build-up nor lasts beyond twenty seconds. That being said, there’s still room for tempo changes and dramatic melodies.
By now, the final few songs that made up Tragedy As Catharsis are coming into view. ‘Arrangement’ goes for the panic-inducing grindcore/emoviolence vibe. Wrapping itself around you with everything from fast tempos to driving vocals, before slowing to a sludge-like crawl with meaty stomps. ‘Meadow Rue’ strides along with purposeful abandon, as Drive Your Plow… inject it with an energy that’s much darker than it first seems.
‘Baleful Solitude’ finishes the Tragedy As Catharsis section of this discography in such an iconic way, as it did the album itself. A lengthier piece filled with catchy elements, at least until half-way through when it collapses into a swirl of chaotic noise once again. So utterly intense, it’s hard to put into words.
The rest of this collection is made up of non-album songs, including those that appeared on splits. ‘Arguments In Iron’ was the band’s contribution to the 2025 split that also included Piot., Plein De Vie, TNG, Eris I Disnomia and Jornada del Muerto. It was actually recorded as part of the session for their album, so it carries on the momentum nicely. A clever placing I think.
‘Everdark Conifers’ appeared on another split, which was actually a Christmas 7” single. It’s hard to imagine but Drive Your Plow… joined groups from all genres, including folk, country and electronic. It was recorded in their practice space on a mobile phone. It sounds raw but thanks to some mastering wizardry from Will Killingsworth, it’s also really listenable and nods to their live sound.
Ending with their earliest demo songs is the perfect way. ‘Marionette’ is unflinchingly heavy from beginning to end, even compared to the album’s songs. The guitar work is much more prominent here, especially in the higher ranges. ‘Propitiation’ is equally unabashed, but also more involved emotionally. That maybe has something to do with its song length.
Penultimate song ‘When What Once Worked Suddenly Breaks’ is like the great crescendo. Mixing their violent screamo with spoken-word samples and building instrumentals, there’s a cinematic approach that’s not been heard thus far. ‘Aspected Of Dust’ brings this release to a close with a literal collage of sound, coming from all directions and all adjacent genres. At times depressive but also euphoric.
Discographies like this are a great place to start if you’re new to a band. What could be more convenient than having all their songs in one place. ZBR have done a great job with this one and it leaves you wondering what’s next for Drive Your Plow…, hopefully we won’t have long to wait.
You can stream and purchase Collected digitally from ZBR on bandcamp below:-
